London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 18, 2026

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi re-elected Speaker of the House in tight race

Nancy Pelosi won another term as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Sunday, eking out a close vote as the 117th Congress kicked off.
The California Democrat, 80, will hold the position for a second consecutive two-year term and fourth overall, having previously been elected in 2007, 2009 and 2019.

She emerged victorious with 216 votes to the 209 votes of Republican challenger Kevin McCarthy, also of California.

Two votes were cast for other candidates and three lawmakers voted present.

Pelosi was expected to come out on top, though by a narrow margin reflective of Republican gains in the House during the most recent election cycle and a Democratic party increasingly splintered along moderate and far-left lines.

Representatives could cast a vote for anyone — not limited to Pelosi or McCarthy, or even a lawmaker — declare themselves present, or decline to vote at all.

Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden cast his vote for Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a fellow military veteran.

Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Penn.) voted for New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — who kicked off the vote with an impassioned speech nominating Pelosi.

Three Democrats voted present: New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill, Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin and Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger.

Despite the defections, Pelosi reached the simple majority of all votes cast for named candidates needed to clinch another run as House Speaker.

McCarthy did not see any Republican defections.

The representatives voted in small, staggered groups to help facilitate social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers were required to wear masks and breaks were scheduled in the House proceedings throughout the day to allow for cleanings.

Four hundred and thirty of the chamber’s 433 currently-elected lawmakers were in attendance Sunday on Capitol Hill.

Two seats remain unoccupied: New York’s 22nd District, where a razor-thin race is still being untangled, and Louisiana’s 5th District, following the coronavirus-related death of Republican Representative-elect Luke Letlow.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Parliament Advances Sovereign Grant Reform Setting Royal Funding at £99.9 Million
King Charles Urges Human-Centred Approach to Artificial Intelligence at Scotland Summit
House of Lords Begins Scrutiny of Voting-Age and Political Finance Reforms
UK Labour Market Shows Growing Divide Between Younger and Older Workers
Nearly Seven in 10 UK Small Businesses Delay or Cancel Growth Plans as Costs Rise
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target Amid North Sea Energy Debate
UK Parliament Demands Credible Financial and Decarbonisation Plan for British Steel
MPs Urge Government to Reject Thames Water Rescue Deal and Prepare Special Administration
Bank of England Holds Rate at 3.75% as Energy Shock Raises Inflation Risks
TUC Calls for Social Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Taxes on Bank Profits
UK Parliament Enters Conference Recess After Advancing Sovereign Grant Legislation
King Charles Hosts Artificial Intelligence Leaders at Dumfries House Summit
Nearly Seven in Ten UK Small Businesses Delay or Cancel Growth Plans as Costs Rise
Anthropic Details Malicious Use of Claude in Cyber, Weapons and Influence Operations
McLaren Announces £500 Million UK Investment and 1,000 New Jobs
Scotland and Wales Sign Cardiff Agreement to Deepen Cooperation on Shared Policy Priorities
UK Government Moves to Fully Fund Teacher Pay Award as Strike Threat Recedes
UK Competition Regulator Deepens Scrutiny of Microsoft’s Business Software and AI Market Position
NHS England Reforms Focus on Cutting Waiting Lists and Improving Digital Care
England Maintains Mandatory Housing Targets in Push for 1.5 Million New Homes
UK Government Plans Statutory Industrial Strategy Council to Strengthen Long-Term Economic Policy
Asthma Charity Warns of Major Gaps in Childhood Diagnostic Testing Across England
TUC Chief Paul Nowak Appointed to Bank of England Court
Bristol Opens £35 Million Deep-Tech Innovation Hub at Temple Quarter
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Housing Plan
Andy Burnham Deepens UK Defense and AI Cooperation With NATO and Canada
UK Government Announces Neonatal Safety Reforms After Thirlwall Inquiry
Bank of England Weighs Rate Decision as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Health Unions Warn of Staffing Pressures as Public and Private Pay Growth Diverges
Rockstar Games Faces Tribunal Claims From 23 Former Grand Theft Auto VI Developers
UK Treasury Faces Tighter Budget Constraints as Borrowing Costs and Pension Spending Rise
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Ten-Year Plan for Greater Public Oversight of Utilities
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Coordinate Push for UK Constitutional Change
Police Tighten Public-Order Measures After Anti-Immigration Protests in Dover and Portsmouth
UK Ministers Pressed for Answers After US Diplomat Accused of Child Abuse Images Leaves Britain
Jaguar Land Rover Pursues NATO Defense Contracts for Defender Vehicles
British Service Member Dies in Road Accident While Deployed in Ukraine
George Osborne Calls for Britain to Rejoin EU Customs Union
Anthropic Chief Dario Amodei Urges Faster UK Action on Advanced AI Risks
UK State Pension Set for 3.9% Rise Under Triple Lock
UK Labour Market Cools as Payrolled Employment Continues to Decline
Reform UK’s £72 Million in Donations Faces Scrutiny Under Proposed Retrospective Funding Rules
UK Doctors Warn Expanded Pharmacy First Scheme Could Put Patients at Risk
British Airlines Cut Short-Haul Capacity as Jet Fuel Costs Rise
UK News Publishers Forecast 40% Search Traffic Drop as AI Overviews Expand
Axel Springer Wins Approval for £575 Million Daily Telegraph Acquisition
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Opposes Heathrow Third Runway Over Climate Targets
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Hold Summit Seeking Greater Autonomy
UK Energy Price Cap Set to Rise to £1,723 in October
×